Rostral columns and a secret bunker

Here you can see two magnificent neoclassical rostral columns decorated with maritime symbols. Rostral columns are always erected as a tribute to naval victories. Legend has it that the very first one was erected in Rome to celebrate the victory of Consul Caius Dulius over the Carthaginian fleet. They usually depict the rostrum or spur of captured ships giving them their name. Two bronze statues are perched 21 metres high at the top of the column. On the one side you can spot Artemis, the goddess protecting roads and harbours. She is often associated to the moon. This reminds us of the famous Moon port, the charming nickname given to the port of Bordeaux. On the other side is Mercury, the symbol of commerce and trade. Designed as lighthouses, these two statues carried lanterns to guide the arrival of boats on the Garonne. Let’s not stop at what meets the eye. It may seem difficult to imagine today, but beneath the square are the remains of a large German bunker dating from World War II. Under German occupation, Bordeaux was equipped with numerous military infrastructures to defend its strategic position! Given the fact that the square was close to the port, it was essential to have protected access nearby. The bunker that lies beneath your feet measured around 83m², with a ceiling height of almost 2.30m, fortified with 1000m3 of concrete and 60 tonnes of steel. It was fully equipped to withstand a siege from Allied forces. Upon liberation of Bordeaux , the people wanted to erase all traces of German occupation, leading to a long and arduous work to dismantle this installation, despite its reputation for being indestructible. What could not be demolished was buried under a building for the 1946 Colonial Exhibition, before being covered with soil the following year.  Today we are certain of it’s former existence as the bunker was rediscovered in 1998 and extensively documented by historian Erwan Langeo. Now owned by the city of Bordeaux, it is a rare example of the German occupation.